


Observation

by BlueNeutrino



Series: A Hunter's Heart in an Angel's Hands [29]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Cardiophilia, Heartbeats, M/M, Teasing Sam, minorly hurt Dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-22
Updated: 2016-03-22
Packaged: 2018-05-28 07:05:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6319471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueNeutrino/pseuds/BlueNeutrino
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to "Oxygen". If Dean has to spend a night in the hospital, he could really do without Sam's deliberate teasing to try and make his heart race.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Observation

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm finally adding more to this series after quite some time! And I also get to the point of why I wanted to include Oxygen in this series in the first place: so that there could be some follow up with Dean is hospital after. This is for a request from ages ago based on a Tumblr post where a girl was in hospital and her friends kept teasing her about her crushes to see if they could make her heart rate go up so that the nurses came to check on her. Cue Sam teasing Dean about Cas. Also, some hopefully sweet moments.

“Can I get you anything?”

“No, Cas. I’m good.”

“Are you sure? It’s been three hours since you ate. Maybe food? Or something to drink? You need to stay hydrated.”

A soft smile spreads over Dean’s face as Cas continues to fuss. It’s sweet how intent he is on taking care of him, even though Dean’s sure he’s _fine._ But if Cas really wants something to do… “Well, I guess I could go for some pie.”

Off to his right, Sam chuckles. “When can’t you?”

Cas is still looking very serious. “Pie. Of course. Do you have any preference for flavour? Apple? Cherry?”

“Cas, it’s hospital canteen pie. As long as it’s got pastry and calories, I’m good.”

“Right. And coffee. I could bring coffee too?”

“That sounds like a plan.”

“Of course. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

He looks very focused as he leaves the room, like he’s been given some important mission that only he can fulfill. Sam is the one smiling affectionately after him through the observation window as he heads off down the hallway. “He really does take care of you, doesn’t he?”

“More than he needs to, sometimes. Does that mean he gets your little brother seal of approval?”

“You know he does.”

Dean smiles at Sam’s assurance and props himself up more comfortably on the bed. Given that the bed really isn’t all that comfortable to start with, it’s not exactly easy. He thinks he could do without having to wear the scratchy hospital gown, or having to put up with the annoying number of wires stuck to him or eating crappy hospital food, but when it came to the decision of being here, he’d been outvoted. Dean hadn’t really wanted to come. Yeah, he’d nearly drowned, but even with Cas’ currently limited healing powers and busted rib aside, CPR seemed to have done a good job of rescuing him. But then Cas had gotten anxious and insisted Dean go to a hospital, and Sam had of course backed him up. So now, here he was. An overnight stay for “observation”.

“How are you feeling?” Sam asks for what feels like the millionth time, and Dean just repeats his same answer with a roll of his eyes.

“I’m fine, really.”

“You think Cas will get back before the nurse comes to check your vitals? If he’s bringing coffee, that might make your heart rate go up.”

The statement catches Dean off guard. Somewhere to the left of him, he hears a hiccup in the regular beeping of the heart monitor and hopes Sam doesn’t notice. It really wouldn’t surprise him if Cas was hoping for that.

“Yeah. No big deal though.” Dean tries to brush it off.

“I guess. I’m just saying…if your heart rate’s too high, they’ll only keep you in here longer.”

“I know, but uh…I don’t think it will come to that.” The conversation was getting awkward. At least from Dean’s perspective. He’s just glad Cas is currently out of the room.

Sam shrugs. “Okay.” There’s a pause, then he picks up the questions again. “Your chest feeling alright? I know CPR is supposed to hurt. If you’re uncomfortable I could ask them to up your painkillers.”

Dean pulls a face. “Sam, really, I’m fine. Kinda sore, I guess, but I’m alright. I don’t need any painkillers.”

“You know, that might make your heart rate go up too. Or slow down. Depends what kind they give you.”

The heart monitor hiccups again. Dean can feel the heat rising in his face. “What’s your obsession with my heart rate? Just leave it, Sam.”

“ _I’m_ not obsessed.”

There’s something in the way he says it, the slight stress on the first word that makes Dean’s heartbeat noticeably pick up speed. Dammit. It’s almost like Sam’s doing it on purpose. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’m only asking the same things Cas would want to know. He’d want to be sure you’re alright and that you’re getting the right meds so you can leave soon. It’s just…” He trails off, and Dean’s sure he can see the ghost of a smirk on Sam’s face.

“Just what?”

“It’s just the doctors _do_ need to take your pulse, Dean. And you can hear what it’s doing now you’re just thinking of Cas.”

“Sam!” Dean really doesn’t know what to say. He’s pretty sure the blush on his face and the rapid beeping from the monitor is doing all the talking.

Sam chuckles softly at his reaction. “Careful, or you’re gonna have the nurses all rushing in in a panic. What are you so embarrassed about?”

“I’m not embarrassed.”

“Really? Because you’re the color of a tomato and your heart’s racing like you just ran a marathon.”

Dean really wishes they weren’t having this conversation. He doesn’t know how you’re supposed to explain to your brother that your boyfriend’s main kink is your own goddamn _heartbeat_ and talking about it suddenly feels way too personal. “I know, it’s just I…can we…could we not…?” He stumbles over his words, refusing to look Sam in the eye until a brief glance over tells him that Sam is _definitely_ in fact smirking.

“Dean, it’s okay.” His brother finally tries to put him out of his misery. “I know.”

The monitor makes the obvious stutter of Dean’s heart skipping a beat. He stops talking, looking at Sam in a combination of apprehension and shock. “You…know?”

“I saw you a few months back,” Sam begins to explain, although his teasing expression has morphed into something more reassuring. “You and Cas with the stethoscope. I wasn’t trying to pry, but… if you wanted more privacy, you could have picked somewhere better than the one room in the bunker with a TV.”

For a moment, Dean is silent, trying to process what Sam just told him. He’s still blushing like crazy, but his heart rate holds steady at its current pace. “Great. So the one day Cas and I want some alone time on the couch, is the same day the bookworm decides he needs to catch up on _Game of Thrones,_ ” he remarks drily, although his heart’s still racing nervously. “What is it you think you know, Sam?”

“I’m not entirely sure, and I’m not asking you to tell me everything, but I just want you to know that it’s okay.” He pauses, giving Dean an earnest look. “I pieced some stuff together. There was that time Cas had you wear that heart monitor, and then there’s the stethoscope that seems to be permanently missing from the infirmary, and I know you’ve always had a thing for doctors… I think I get it. I could tell you were getting worked up when the nurse last came in to check your vitals, and I just want you to know you that it’s alright. I’m not judging.”

“So you’re telling me this _after_ all that teasing?”

“Hey, I’m your brother. I’m allowed to tease.”

Dean lets out a sigh, feeling a hundred things at once and not sure which he should be focusing on most. “So, you uh…you don’t find it weird?”

“Honestly, I find it kinda sweet.” Sam gives him a small smile. “I guess maybe I don’t completely understand, but I don’t know why you think I should find it weird.”

“Well, it’s uh…it’s kinda hard to explain.” Dean thinks his heart rate might just be calming. He’d never expected Sam to figure it out, but if Sam _knows…_ this seems like the best way things could go. All things considered, it’s actually a relief. “But thanks. The support means a lot.” He’s not going to pretend that the whole focus on his heart doesn’t still feel awkward, but he is glad for Sam’s reaction. As long as they aren’t still having this conversation by the time Cas gets back.

“Of course. As long as you’re happy.” Sam’s smile is warm, thoughtful. “I guess this way I know how much it means to Cas to keep you safe.”

Dean knows what he means. That’s one of the things he loves most about Cas’ fascination with his heartbeat: that the thing the angel treasures most is just the feeling of Dean being alive. “Yeah, I’m happy. And Cas… he just _likes_ my heartbeat. And I like that he likes it.” He hesitates, feeling unsure of himself again. “You sure that this isn’t weird?”

The response he gets is another shrug and the return of that goddamned smirk. “Not to me. But hey, seems like it’s giving you palpitations.” Suddenly, Dean’s blushing an even deeper crimson. “Maybe Cas won’t even need to bring you back a double espresso if your heart can do all this on its own.”

There’s no time for Dean to die of embarrassment before the door to the room opens and a nurse steps in, looking concerned. “Is everything alright, Mr. Winchester? Your monitors were starting to give us a bit of an alarm.” She crosses to his bedside to manually check the pulse in his wrist.

 _God fucking dammit._ Sam looks like he’s trying hard not to laugh while Dean swallows down his embarrassment and tries to answer. “Yeah, I’m fine, I guess.” At least Sam’s managed to give him some idea for an excuse as to why his heart’s currently galloping like a mustang. “My chest just kinda hurts. It’s the broken rib, I think.”

“I can speak to the doctor, get her to come take another look at you and see if there’s anything we can do about that,” the nurse offers, and Dean nods as quickly as he can, if she could just _please_ leave the room again.

“Yes, please. Would be good.”

She nods as she leaves in search of the doctor, and then Dean’s head falls back onto the pillow as he lets out a sigh.

“So now you’re getting a doctor to come check on your heart. That’s two of your favorite things in one,” Sam remarks, and Dean swears he’s going to strangle him as soon as he gets out of here.

“Goddammit, Sam. I’m blaming you for this.”

“That’s giving me too much credit. I think a lot of this is Cas.”

Dean can’t really argue with that.

Sam gives a soft chuckle as he eyes up the triple-figure number currently displayed on Dean’s heart monitor screen, amazed that he managed to get it that high just by _talking_ about it. “Alright, I’ll stop now,” he finally promises, settling himself back in the hospital chair as he thinks he’s finally fulfilled his brotherly duty of teasing Dean.

“Good,” Dean just grunts, but it turns out Sam has one more thing to say.

“But Cas has just appeared at the end of the hallway and you’ve got approximately ten seconds before he’s back in the room. I think that’s my cue to take a bathroom break.” He’s wearing a satisfied smile as he gets up from his seat and crosses to the doorway, shooting Dean a wink over Cas’ shoulder as the angel steps back into the room.

Even with his face still burning from the merciless teasing, Dean’s certain he has the best brother in the world.


End file.
